SLAM!: The Next Jam

SLAM! #5-8

by Pamela Ribon, Marina Julia, Marissa Louise

Después de romper una de las principales reglas del Derby (además de una clavícula) Knockout y DoDo... ¡vuelven a la pista! Pero tienen mucha rehabilitación por delante, tanto de sus cuerpos magullados como de sus reputaciones en la liga... ¿Sobrevivirá su amistad al temido Drama del Derby?

Cuando te caigas... ¡aprieta los dientes y vuelve a levantarte! ¡Vuelve el Roller Derby!

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Graphic Novels Comics, Fiction, LGBT, Sports, Contemporary

112 pages, Paperback

First published September 11, 2018

About the author

Pamela Ribon is a screenwriter (Moana, Ralph Breaks the Internet, Bears), performer, TV writer, comic book writer, best-selling novelist, and a Film Independent Directing Lab Fellow.

She is currently adapting her original comic book series SLAM! — co-created with Veronica Fish — as an animated half-hour with Rooster Teeth and Minnow Mountain for HBO Max. She is attached to direct (with Paul Franklin) her live-action feature adaptation of her critically-acclaimed graphic novel My Boyfriend is a Bear (co-created with Cat Farris). She is also adapting her comedic memoir NOTES TO BOYS (AND OTHER THINGS I SHOULDN’T SHARE IN PUBLIC) as an animated series for FX’s CAKE.

Pamela was a flagship contributor to Television Without Pity, and is known as a pioneer in the blogging world with pamie.com, where she launched such viral essays as “How I Might Have Just Become the Newest Urban Legend” and “Barbie Fucks it Up Again,” the latter of which led to #FeministHackerBarbie, a revamp of Mattel’s products and marketing for Barbie, and the creation of Game Developer Barbie as “Career of the Year.” Pamela’s stage work has been showcased at the HBO US Comedy Arts Festival and she created the accidental international scandal known as Call Us Crazy: The Anne Heche Monologues.

A former Austinite with a BFA in Acting from the University of Texas, Pamela has been entered into the Oxford English Dictionary under “muffin top.” That is not a joke. @pamelaribon | she/her

Reviews

[Dev · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once again, I absolutely love the art but the story is just kind of meh to me. Maybe there's just too much relationship/personal drama for me? That's a big reason why I don't read much contemporary stuff, but I usually like roller derby stories so I'm not sure what exactly is missing here that is making this comic just average for me. [shrugs]

[kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

the story, the characters, the relationships, the artwork. I love it ALL. I really hope this series continues because I just want more and more.

[Rod Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe I should have re-read the first volume before diving into this one, because I felt a little lost and adrift, but then again, so did the story here. The main friends from the first volume are separated into their own parallel storylines and that separation drains away some of the sweetness that drove the first volume.

It's not bad, but not as good. Mostly I found my mind drifting and wondering why roller derby is so obsessed with puns.

Still, I'm happy to see that HBO is developing a series from these books. That could be fun.
https://deadline.com/2021/03/roller-d...

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

No one skates alone.

[Mangrii · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ataos los patines, por que el Roller Derby vuelve a estar en marcha gracias a la editorial Fandogami. Esta segunda (y por desgracia última) entrega de Slam! nos sitúa justo tras el final redondo que supuso el primer arco argumental. Jennifer y Massie deben hacer frente a las consecuencias de lo ocurrido en el anterior volumen. En esta ocasión, dejamos un poco de lado el deporte en si para adentrarnos en dos historias de reconciliación, superación y amor. Slam! The next jam se convierte en un slice of life protagonizado por este par de veinteañeras y sus vivencias personales mientras se dedican en cuerpo y alma a este brutal deporte.

Es una pena que solo tenga cuatro números. Todo se siente atropellado, sin el desarrollo necesario y con los temas introducidos dejados en el aire. Pero sigue siendo muy disfrutable. En este segundo arco la dibujante será Marina Julia, que toma a los personajes como suyos y se los lleva a su particular trazo de dibujo que funciona de nuevo con el color de Brittany Peer. Mi único problema en este apartado es que dos personajes me parecían prácticamente iguales y difíciles de diferenciar en ocasiones. Aunque Slam! se haya acabado, tengo que agradecer a Pamela Ribon y Fandogamia darnos a conocer este deporte al cual, estoy seguro, no hubiera llegado de ninguna otra forma.

[Kathryn Kania · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually really enjoyed this one. I see a lot of complaints that this comic had not enough roller derby but honestly I loved that it addressed the drama that can be associated with the sport. I feel like not enough derby stories show that the social aspect can be really hard. There's usually just one mean girl and the rest is all sunshine, rainbows, and bruises. But it's not! There is a ton of really strong personalities and situations arise where there aren't any good choices.

Plus I loved the girl that wouldn't shut up about her old league. How fucking true is that.

[Katherine (Kat) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5
I was expecting so much more :(
The ending felt super rushed too.

[Kristin · Rating 2 out of 5]

It took me about 15 minutes to read this because only a single comic's worth of plot is spread across five. I was really disappointed at the drop off in quality and characterization between volume one and two; the only good storyline was the subplot about the skater's rebellion against sexualized promo posters.

[orangerful · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still have the same problem I had with the previous book - sometimes I have a hard time telling the characters apart. But after the first "issue" of the trade, I had a handle on who was who and I really enjoyed this sequel! Roller Derby lends itself so much to the graphic novel format and it really captures the chaos of the practices and bouts. I really hope this isn't the last we see of the Pushy Riots!

[Maggie Carr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading Women Challenge 2019: A Book About A Woman Athlete

In my next life I want to be a jammer with serious wheeler rage and huge bruises earned from a won bout. In my next life I won't be timid. Quiet. Afraid to let my body tell me I can't do what my heart tells me I can be capable of. Until then I'll read about my hearts desire and live it out in my dreams. I'd need a good literary name to call myself. Any recommendations?

[Gary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as the first book. Feels like they had to wrap things up in a hurry.

[Robert · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's a thin line between slow plot development and no plot, and this is tipping to the wrong side of the line.

[Javier Muñoz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Aunque sigue siendo una serie entretenida, este segundo tomo flojea por varias razones...

En primer lugar hay que afrontar la realidad, esto es un segundo y último volumen de un proyecto de serie regular que ha muerto, el interés que podía tener el primer volumen al presentarnos el deporte, los personajes y sus circunstancias se pierde en gran medida en este segundo tomo, en el que si habláramos de una miniserie esperaríamos un cierre de arco, una conclusión a las varias tramas de los distintos personajes... pero no es el caso, es un proyecto de serie regular que ha muerto y se ha quedado a medias.

Luego tenemos el tema del dibujo, para mi baja de nivel bastante respecto al primero, podría estar mucho más cuidado, da la impresión de que se ha hecho sin ganas y deseando terminar.

En fin, para mi ha sido una decepción, entiendo que es complicado cerrar una serie cuando la intención era explicar la historia en muchos más números, pero creo que Pamela Ribbon debería de haberlo intentado al menos.

[47Time · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story has lost its heart, somehow, in favor of drama and relationships. There are fewer jokes, but the ending is a happy one.

The story begins on a low note with Jen on probation for leaving the track to care for Maisie after the bump that led to her shoulder injury. She is assigned to train the new recruits, but is doing a poor job because she focuses to much on workouts and not at all on having fun. A new recruit named Kristen is getting close to Jen, but the latter doesn't notice her feelings until Kristen comes full out and asks her on a date.

Maisie is still healing, but tries to be near her colleagues even if she isn't allowed to skate. Her relationship with Theo is also on the rocks until his focus on the derby brings them back together.

[Courts · Rating 3 out of 5]

This volume wasn't as fun as the first one. I thought the first did a good job of showing the balanced ups and downs of roller derby, the violence and exhilaration, the stress and delight, the way it created friendships but also deep problems in other areas of their lives; however, this volume felt more like the negative aspects and I didn't really care for the off-track mean girl antics of the teams.

It feels unfair to say that the first issue lost me, but I don't understand the bad sportsmanship for things like showing compassion for an opposing team player. Especially since it's supposed to be premised on bonding. Why would you want to bond with someone hazing and punishing you? I dunno.

I just didn't connect to these last few issues.

[Lucía · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slam: The next jam cierra la historia que comenzó en el tomo anterior y se centra en la amistad y el competitivo mundo del roller derby.
Si algo nos enseña Slam! es que podemos caer, pero debemos volver a ponernos en pie.
La única pega de la serie es que a veces las cosas suceden muy rápido debido a los saltos.

Leer más: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bu6I7htHUHd/

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3,5

Gorgeous art and I enjoyed how it transported me right into the world of Roller Derby. But I wish there would have been a little bit more of a story. Also that I didn't remember much of the first series and that there was no re-cap didn't help. And when I felt like there was finally some type of story developing the book pretty much came to an end.

.

[deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really REALLY love the SLAM! series. 🥺💗 They’re so underrated and just very enjoyable in nearly every aspect. I wish there was more, but even just the two volumes/eight issues are great!

[Adarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Way too different a vibe from the first volume :(

[Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume dealt with some deeper issues but I still really enjoyed it. It's so bright and fun to read!

[Trigger Warning Database]

Trigger & Content Warnings

Alcohol consumption
Physical injuries

[AR · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like the writing in this series was a bit all over the place, and many of the storylines were underdeveloped. Unfortunate because the premise and the art are really good.

[Aaron · Rating 2 out of 5]

Alas, it just wasn't meant to be. The first volume of this comic book series successfully assembled between its covers the perfect balance of character growth, spontaneous relational drama and worldly feminist enthusiasm. SLAM! #2 is none of this. In the place of character growth, readers encounter awkward and unrequited crushes; in the place of quality relational dynamics, readers are gifted writing that is predictable and boring; and in the cauldron of feminist dialectic, readers find a dulled archetype of the previous volume's sharper-edged hunt for the truth.

At the forefront, Jen sweats out the long-awaited decision from her team concerning her so-called abandonment of the crew back when Maisie screwed up her arm at the end of the previous volume. While this an expected plot point, readers aren't too privy to the logic behind the outsized weight the creative team lends it. If Jen is one of the team's best players, and if the league overemphasizes the role of sisterhood above all else, it doesn't make any sense to sacrifice productivity and progress over one woman's actions that had everything to do with personal fellowship and relational solidarity. As SLAM! #2 spins its wheels in an attempt to hedge derby life as rough around the edges, the result is a swelling mass of contradictions.

The book's mild highlights include a bit of development in the bond between Theo and Maisie and the affirmation of the bond between Jen and Maisie, but that's about it. Kristen was a fun side character poised for growth in the prior volume. In SLAM! #2, in which the writing carries far less continuity and the art traffics in far doughier on-model variations, Kristen appears far less the eager recruit than an aggressively annoying junior constantly getting in the way. It's easy for one to get sick of Kristen, if mostly because she pops into (and out of) the story with such haste. Even the character's moments of drama appear left on the cutting room floor: readers learn she's dealing with a (violent) jealous ex with exactly one page of backstory . . . and that's it. The lack of consistency and clarity make the character and the book feel less the organic synching of feminine maturity and more of a fidgety showcase of adulthood on the run.

One who is accustomed to seeing fun and flashy new comics come and go knows of the hazards of hoping and longing for creative teams to stick it out from volume to volume. The absence of Veronica Fish as the main illustrator is acutely felt. Fish is an artist whose strongest application of skill rests in pacing and character dynamism; that is, polished on-model storytelling from any and every angle, often with a glint of sharp action. SLAM! #2 artist Marina Julia is the opposite: excellent passive portrait work but poor on action and sequencing; good page composition but perspective is hit or miss; facial expressions are on the mark but there's a genuine struggle with drawing hands.

For comics fans curious for a book about an underground, hyper-local sport such as roller derby, one cannot help but recommend the first volume of SLAM! and only the first volume of SLAM!.

[Cale · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this, but it's just missing something. The plot doesn't actually seem to kick in until the final issue, which means we get three issues of women moping and complaining about Derby rules and injuries; the central friendship that drove the first volume is mostly missing here, and the new characters made almost no impression on me. Maybe I read it too fast, but I couldn't even tell who half the new characters were most of the time. And the derby seems to be the setting of this book, rather than the soul of it as it was in the first volume.
The art is pretty good throughout, and when it finally picks up in the last issue I found myself invested again. But it takes too long to get to the point, and packs too many plots in as well.
I really can't nail what it was about this book that left me disappointed, but it really does seem to be missing something. Maybe it's just not for me.

[Travis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is cute. It's too bad it seems like there won't be any more of it, because I think it could be a lot better if it got more time to develop.

[Airin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Este segundo tomo, la verdad es que me ha sobrado.

El primero me gustó mucho: la explicación del derby, la vida de las dos protagonistas, sus entrenamientos, los partidos... Todo eso me ha parecido muy interesante y que el dibujo esté a todo color ha ayudado mucho a que me encantara esta historia.

Pero en este segundo tomo siento que no he leído nada nuevo. Creí que se conocería más la historia de las dos protagonistas y más después de como terminaba el primer número. Siento que la historia está escrita deprisa. Aparecen nuevos personajes que dan vida a la historia, pero se sabe de ellas de forma precipitada, entremezclando sus vidas con la trama principal de manera exagerada. Me hubiera encantando conocerlas más, saber por qué empezaron a entrenar y qué les llevó a ello; pero siento que todo ha pasado muy rápido.

El primer me resultó llamativo. Los colores, el deporte que trataba, la amistad, el esfuerzo. Todo eso estaba muy bien plasmado. En este segundo parece que eso ha quedado en un segundo plano. Es cierto que la amistad sigue siendo el tema principal y ha habido un capítulo en el que se habla de los complejos que me ha gustado mucho. Pero me he quedado con ganas de más, de saber más de sus vidas y de cómo van evolucionando.

Esta es mi opinión. Eso no quiere decir que si vosotras leéis estos dos números no os vaya a gustar. Seguro que os encanta porque a mí me ha enganchado, es cierto. Aunque me hubiera gustado saber un poco más de las protagonistas y sus vidas. Siento que el final ha sido algo precipitado.

Aun así, recomiendo su lectura para quienes queráis conocer qué es el derby y queráis ver mucha acción sobre patines a todo color.

[Jaime · Rating 4 out of 5]

1) SLAM! Vol. 1 ★★★★

content warnings: violence, injuries
representation: asian-american sapphic main character, main interracial f/f relationship, main interracial relationship, side characters of colour

This was just as fantastic as the first volume. I understand some people not liking this one as much because it is more character-focused due to the two leads not participating in roller derby at first, and then even when they are it focuses a lot more on their personal relationships. But I really like the characters and enjoyed seeing their personal lives. In particular, I really liked Jennifer's relationship with her grandmother and the budding romance she has.

I wish there was more of this and would highly recommend it!

[Liralen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the focus on roller derby—

The art is glorious—

—and I barely knew what was going on throughout the book. I read volume 1 earlier this year, and once I dredged up memories of what happened there, the backstory here made a little more sense, but they're definitely not things to be read out of order.

Basically...Can-can is still on the injured list; Knockout is still in trouble for helping Can-can post-injury (and is trying to balance derby pressure with real-life pressure); and there's a rookie who looks approximately half Knockout's age who's pursuing Knockout (who is in turn a little clueless). Lots of good setup for conflict, but gosh I wish this were full-length rather than a serialized thing, because there's never enough time for those conflicts (or characters) to develop.

[Itaewon Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bueno que decir, pues exactamente como el primer tomo, Me ha encantado.

Como ya os conté con el anterior Slam! Es un cómic que habla sobre el Roller derby femenino y la verdad es que es una pasada. Me encanta como cuenta la historia, como nos muestra a las corredoras, sus duros entrenamientos y lo que supone para ellas este deporte.

En el primer tomo conocíamos a dos personajes que en este segundo tomo tienen un gran protagonismo y que nos van contando como es ser rivales y compañeras al mismo tiempo.

No se me parece maravilloso este cómic y lo recomiendo, gracias a el descubrí este deporte y me encantó.

Deseando leer ya las siguientes partes 😁

[Ken Yuen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hmm, maybe I should have reread the first volume, but I thought this volume was a bit all over the place. What I really enjoyed about the first volume was the relationship between Jen and the short-haired blonde.

This one seemed to focus on Kristen, but she looks very similar to Jen. And it's sort of confusing what's going on with her and the graffiti, and other stuff. It's like you get glances of side stories, but never any depth or answers?

It's just a little hard to tell who I'm supposed to pay attention to.